IOC senior official hails successful Games

Source:Xinhua Published: 2014-2-23 9:48:08

The Russian organizers have delivered a successful Olympic Winter Games, International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive director for the games Gilbert Felli on Saturday.

Felli said on the penultimate day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics that the organizers have done a good job.

"As the head of the Games department at the IOC we believe that what we have seen here is of a very high level. We have been very pleased because what was committed we have seen during the bid here, the document 2007 has been delivered," said Felli.

"As soon as the Games have started, now more than 12 days ago, everything has run very smoothly," he added. Felli refused to grade the organization work by saying that is the job of IOC chief Thomas Bach.

The Sochi organizing committee CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko gave some staticstics to back up Felli's comment.

A record of 88 countries and regions sent athletes to compete in the Games attracted fans from more than 126 countries and regions. More than 1.1 million tickets have been sold while six million users downloaded the Sochi 2014 app to follow the Games with their mobile devices.

"I want to remind you that the Games naturally were exceptional," he said.

For Chernyshenko, he was happy to see not only records born with the Games but also an Olympic atmosphere in Sochi and all over Russia.

"In the Park it was electric. The stadium was filled even during those sports, those competitions, that were, let's say, new for Russia, that we didn't experience and watch before," he said. "More than 70% of Russians are not just supporting. They are simply proud of the way Russia hosted the winter Games and I think you should agree it is a great achievement."

Posted in: Olympics

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